WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 /U.S. Newswire/ -- "The AFL-CIO opened itssecond annual Online Labor Day Festival, billed as the "biggesthometown Labor Day festival in the USA," at www.aflcio.org/laborday.It will run through Sept. 21, 2001."

"Cyberspace offers immense new possibilities for working peopleto make their voices heard and build 'community' in an entirely newway," said AFL-CIO President John Sweeney. "This festival bringstogether the best of our culture and history in a powerful waythat's building for the future."

"The AFL-CIO's second annual Online Labor Day Festival is part ofa broader trend of cyber unionism, as unions find new ways to bringtogether working people on issues that are important to them.Today's unions are using technology to help new members organize,mobilizing members and activists, and celebrating union culture.

Many workers who are forming unions are using an online presenceto keep in contact with each other, and to update supporters.National INS agents, Delta flight attendants, SBC and Verizonworkers, part-time community college teachers in California, andSecurityLink workers isolated in trucks all day have all used theInternet and e-mail successfully to come together in unions.

Mobilization has reached new potential online -- activistse-mailed their Congressional representatives to oppose Fast Tracktrade legislation, commercial actors utilized email and theInternet to win their strike, and worker activists have used PalmPilots for political campaigns and member mobilization.

Some 60 percent of union members have computers, according to apoll by Peter D. Hart Research, Inc., conducted in January 2000.The survey also found that 74 percent of union members withcomputers have Internet access."